ALGORITHMS: PSEUDOCODES AND

FLOWCHARTS

ICT 012

Instructor: Mr. Katwale, S

Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU)
 ALGORITHMS

• A typical programming task can be divided into two

phases:
• Problem solving phase
• produce an ordered sequence of steps that describe solution of problem.
• This sequence of steps is called an algorithm
OR
• An algorithm is a set of ordered steps for solving a problem.
• Implementation phase
• implement the program in some programming language
 Developing an algorithm

• To help the initial analysis, the problem should

be divided into 3 separate components:
1. Input: a list of the source data provided to
the problem
2. Output: a list of the outputs required
3. Processing: a list of actions needed to
produce the required outputs.

3
Example 1. Add three numbers

▪ A program is required to read three numbers,

add them together and print their total.

4
Solution:
1. Underline the nouns and adjectives used in
the specification → establish the input,
output component and any object that are
required.

A program is required to read three

numbers, add them together and
print their total.

5
• Defining diagram

Input Processing Output

Number1 total
Number2
Number3

6
2. Underline the verbs and adverbs used in the specification →
establish the action required.

A program is required to read

three numbers, add them
together and print their total.

7
 • Defining diagram

Input Processing Output

Number1 Read three numbers total
Number2 Add numbers together
Number3 Print total number

8
3. Writing down the processing steps in an algorithm,

Read three numbers

Add numbers together
Print total number

9
Example 2. Find average temperature

•A program is required to prompt the terminal

operator for the maximum and minimum
temperature readings on a particular day,
accept those readings as integers, and calculate
and display to the screen the average
temperature, calculated by (maximum
temperature + minimum temperature)/2.

10
Step 1

•A program is required to prompt the terminal

operator for the maximum and minimum
temperature readings on a particular day,
accept those readings as integers, and
calculate and display to the screen the
average temperature, calculated by
(maximum temperature + minimum
temperature)/2.

11
 • Defining diagram

Input Processing Output

Max_temp Avg_temp
Min_temp

12
Step 2

•A program is required to prompt the terminal

operator for the maximum and minimum
temperature readings on a particular day,
accept those readings as integers, and calculate
and display to the screen the average
temperature, calculated by (maximum
temperature + minimum temperature)/2.

13
 • Defining diagram

Input Processing Output

Max_temp Prompt for temperatures Avg_temp
Min_temp Get temperatures
Calculate average temperature
Display average temperature

14
 Steps in Problem Solving

• First produce a general algorithm (one can use

pseudocode or flowchart)
• Refine the algorithm successively to get step by step
detailed algorithm that is very close to a computer
language.
• Pseudocode is an artificial and informal language
that helps programmers develop algorithms.
Pseudocode is very similar to everyday English.
 Pseudocode & Algorithm

• Example 1: Write an algorithm to determine a student’s final grade and

indicate whether it is passing or failing. The final grade is calculated as
the average of four marks.
 Pseudocode & Algorithm

Pseudocode:
• Input a set of 4 marks
• Calculate their average by summing and dividing by
4
• if average is below 50
Print “FAIL”
else
Print “PASS”
 Pseudocode & Algorithm

• Detailed Algorithm
• Step 1: Input M1,M2,M3,M4
Step 2: GRADE  (M1+M2+M3+M4)/4
Step 3: if (GRADE < 50) then
Print “FAIL”
else
Print “PASS”
endif
 The Flowchart(1)

• Flowchart: is a graphical representation of the

sequence of operations in an information system or
program.
• Information system flowcharts show how data flows
from source documents through the computer to final
distribution to users.
• Program flowcharts show the sequence of
instructions in a single program or subroutine.
• Different symbols are used to draw each type of
flowchart.
 The Flowchart(2)

A Flowchart
•Shows logic of an algorithm
•Emphasizes individual steps and their
interconnections
•e.g. control flow from one action to the
next
 Flowchart Symbols
Name Symbol Use in Flowchart

Oval Denotes the beginning or end of the program

Parallelogram Denotes an input operation

Rectangle Denotes a process to be carried out

e.g. addition, subtraction, division etc.

Diamond Denotes a decision (or branch) to be made.

The program should continue along one of
two routes. (e.g. IF/THEN/ELSE)

Hybrid Denotes an output operation

Flow line Denotes the direction of logic flow in the program

 Example 1
Flowchart Pseudocode

START Step 1: Input M1,M2,M3,M4

Step 2: GRADE  (M1+M2+M3+M4)/4
Input Step 3: if (GRADE <50) then
M1,M2,M3,M4
Print “FAIL”
else
GRADE(M1+M2+M3+M4)/4 Print “PASS”
endif
No IS Yes
GRADE<50

PRINT PRINT
“PASS” “FAIL”

STOP
 Example 2

•Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart to

convert the length in feet to centimeter.
Pseudocode:
• Input the length in feet (Lft)
•Calculate the length in cm (Lcm) by multiplying LFT
with 30
•Print length in cm (Lcm)
 Example 2

Algorithm
Flowchart
• Step 1: Input Lft START
• Step 2: Lcm  Lft x 30
• Step 3: Print Lcm Input
Lft

Lcm  Lft x 30

Print
Lcm

STOP
 Example 3

Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart that will

read the two sides of a rectangle and calculate its
area.

Solution
Pseudocode
• Input the width (W) and Length (L) of a rectangle
• Calculate the area (A) by multiplying L with W
• Print A
 Example 3
Algorithm Flowchart
• Step 1: Input W,L
• Step 2: AL x W START

• Step 3: Print A
Input
W, L

ALxW

Print
A

STOP
 Example 4 (1)

• Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart that will

calculate the roots of a quadratic equation
ax 2 + bx + c = 0
• Hint: d = sqrt ( − 4ac ), and the roots are: x1 = (–
2
b
b + d)/2a and x2 = (–b – d)/2a
 Example 4 (2)

Pseudocode:
• Input the coefficients (a, b, c) of the quadratic equation
• Calculate d
• Calculate x1
• Calculate x2
• Print x1 and x2
 Example 4 (3)

START

• Algorithm:
• Step 1: Input a, b, c Input
a, b, c
• Step 2: d  sqrt ( b  b − 4 ) a  c
• Step 3: x1  (–b + d) / (2 x a) d  sqrt(b x b – 4 x a x c)

• Step 4: x2  (–b – d) / (2 x a)
x1 (–b + d) / (2 x a)
• Step 5: Print x1, x2
X2  (–b – d) / (2 x a)

Print
x1 ,x2

STOP
 DECISION STRUCTURES
• The expression A>B is a logical
expression
• It describes a condition we
want to test
• if A>B is true (if A is greater Yes
is
No
than B) we take the action on A>B
left
• print the value of A Print A Print B

• if A>B is false (if A is not

greater than B) we take the
action on right
• print the value of B
DECISION STRUCTURES

Y N
is
A>B

Print A Print B
 IF–THEN–ELSE STRUCTURE

• The structure is as follows

If condition then
true alternative
else
false alternative
endif
 IF–THEN–ELSE STRUCTURE

• The algorithm for the flowchart is as follows:

If A>B then
print A
else
print B Yes No
is
endif A>B

Print Print
A B
FLOWCHART: Area of a rectangle

Start
• length, width and area
Input are referred to as
length, width variables.
• A variable is like a box
area ← length X width in which a value can be
stored
Output
area

End
34
FLOWCHART: Selection/ Decision

• Selection Start

Input
height

false true
height > 1.6?

Output Output
“You are short!” “You are tall!”

End

35
FLOWCHART: Repetition/loop
• Repetition (looping)

Start

Output
“Thank you!”

Input
stop

false
stop = 1?

true
End 36
 Relational Operators

Relational Operators
Operator Description
> Greater than
< Less than
= Equal to
 Greater than or equal to
 Less than or equal to
 Not equal to
 More Example (1)

• Write an algorithm that reads two values, determines the

largest value and prints the largest value with an identifying
message.

ALGORITHM:
Step 1: Input VALUE1, VALUE2
Step 2: if (VALUE1 > VALUE2) then
MAX  VALUE1
else
MAX  VALUE2
endif
Step 3: Print “The largest value is”, MAX
 More Example (2)
START

Input
VALUE1,VALUE2

Yes is
No
VALUE1>VALUE2

MAX  VALUE1 MAX  VALUE2

Print
“The largest value is”,
MAX

STOP
 NESTED IF STATEMENT

• One of the alternatives within an IF–THEN–ELSE statement

• May involve further IF–THEN–ELSE statement
 Example 1 (1)

• Write an algorithm that reads three numbers and prints the value of the
largest number.
 Example 1 (2)

Step 1: Input N1, N2, N3

Step 2: if (N1>N2) then
if (N1>N3) then
MAX  N1 [N1>N2, N1>N3]
else
MAX  N3 [N3>N1>N2]
endif
else
if (N2>N3) then
MAX  N2 [N2>N1, N2>N3]
else
MAX  N3 [N3>N2>N1]
endif
endif
Step 3: Print “The largest number is”, MAX
 Example 1 (3)

• Flowchart: Draw the flowchart of the above Algorithm?

 Example 2 (1)

• Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart to

a) read an employee name (NAME), overtime hours worked
(OVERTIME), hours absent (ABSENT) and
b) determine the bonus payment (PAYMENT).
 Example 2 (2)

Bonus Schedule
OVERTIME – (2/3)*ABSENT Bonus Paid

>40 hours $50

>30 but  40 hours $40
>20 but  30 hours $30
>10 but  20 hours $20
 10 hours $10
Example 2 (2)
Step 1: Input NAME,OVERTIME,ABSENT
Step 2: if (OVERTIME–(2/3)*ABSENT > 40) then
PAYMENT  50
else if (OVERTIME–(2/3)*ABSENT > 30) then
PAYMENT  40
else if (OVERTIME–(2/3)*ABSENT > 20) then
PAYMENT  30
else if (OVERTIME–(2/3)*ABSENT > 10) then
PAYMENT 20
else
PAYMENT  10
endif
Step 3: Print “Bonus for”, NAME “is $”, PAYMENT
 Example 2 (3)

• Flowchart: Draw the flowchart of the above algorithm?